THIS IS A COOKBOOK

I am not, as a rule, much drawn to the sort of cookbook that has kooky drawings and an "as if written by hand" graphic style. But there are always exceptions, and this is one of them, simply because of the sheer number of must-cook recipes in it. Not only that, this book seems fired by genuine crusading enthusiasm and too many good ideas to be anything other than celebrated.I almost chose the Grilled Meatball Sandwich for you today (and Korean-Style Short Ribs also nearly made it) but in the end I just could not be deflected from the Linguine with Anchovies, Parsley and Walnuts.

Linguine With Anchovies, Parsley, and Walnuts

From This Is A Cookbook: Recipes For Real Life by Max Sussman and Eli Sussman. Published by Olive Press, 2014.

This is definitely my favorite recipe for a quick-and-easy pasta with a lot of flavor. I love how the briny anchovies balance out with the richness of the walnuts and make a unified dish. I usually go for an extra pinch of red pepper flakes, too - Max.

Serves 4-6

¼ cup (1oz / 30g) walnuts

salt

1lb (500g) dried linguine

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed but left whole

6 anchovy fillets

½ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

¼ cup (¼oz / 7g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ lemon

Put the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour onto a clean kitchen towel; the nuts can burn easily. Chop and set aside.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just short of al dente, or 1 minute less than the package directions for al dente.

While the linguine is cooking, in the frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic clove and toast until golden brown; discard the garlic. Add the anchovy fillets, crush them into the oil with the back of a spoon, and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

When the linguine is ready, drain well, reserving ¼ cup (2 fl oz / 60ml) of the cooking water. Add the linguine to the frying pan along with the red pepper flakes and half of the toasted walnuts. Toss and stir over low heat until the pasta is well coated with oil and all the ingredients are evenly distributed. If the pasta appears dry, sprinkle in some of the reserved cooking water and toss again. Add the parsley and a squeeze of lemon immediately before plating. Toss one more time, divide among plates, garnish with the remaining walnuts, and serve right away.